EU Lends its Support to ASEAN Over South China Sea Disputes
May 24 – Officials in the Philippines Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) have recently confirmed that senior officials from the Association of Southeast Nations (ASEAN) met with officials from the European Union (EU) in Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City to discuss the issue of territorial disputes in the South China Sea. Currently there are numerous […]
Impact Investing in Asia
May 24 – Impact investing is a growing trend in the worldwide economic market. This relatively new concept, which first came to light in 2007 at a Rockefeller Foundation meeting, is the process of a company or individuals investing in other companies, funds or organizations to generate not only financial profit, but also social or […]
Malaysia’s Post-Election Rally
May 17 – Last week during the national elections in Malaysia, the National Front Coalition (NFC), the party that has governed Malaysia for 56 consecutive years, won a majority of the country’s parliamentary seats to officially extend its reign. The NFC first obtained majority after Malaysia declared independence from Britain in 1957, and has won 13 […]
First Round of RCEP Negotiations Conclude
The first round of negotiations on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) wrapped up on Sunday after being launched by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and six free trade agreement (FTA) partners last week.
FTSE & ASEAN Join Together Over Joint Indices
May 10 – The FTSE Group and five ASEAN stock exchanges (the Bursa Malaysia Exchange, the Indonesian Stock Exchange, the Philippines Stock Exchange, the Singapore Stock Exchange and the Stock Exchange of Thailand) have joined forces to launch a unique and innovative set of indices known as the FTSE/ASEAN Index series. The FTSE/ASEAN venture provides […]
New Issue of Asia Briefing: An Introduction to Development Zones Across Asia
In this issue of Asia Briefing Magazine, we break down the various types of development zones available in China, India and Vietnam specifically, as well as their key characteristics and leading advantages. We then go on to provide a snapshot of the latest development zones across the rest of Asia. We hope that this issue will provide the basic fundamentals to understanding one of the most important business tools available to international businesses operating in Asia.
Indonesia Ponders TPP Membership
The Indonesian government has shown interest in joining the United States-led Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), saying that its entry into the TPP negotiations would depend on trade agreements with key partners in the region.
Timor Leste Looks to Join ASEAN
Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa said last Friday that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will allow Timor Leste to partake in future ASEAN meetings and summits. ASEAN member states have increasingly taken an interest in approving Timor Leste to be ASEAN’s 11th member.
ASEAN+3 Further Promotes Regional Financial Cooperation
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations plus Japan, China and South Korea (ASEAN Plus Three) have decided to further promote regional financial cooperation at the recent ASEAN Plus Three meeting held last Friday in India.
Hong Kong to Sign Free Trade Agreement with ASEAN
Leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), who recently met in Brunei, are set to approve a decision by their economic ministers to expand trade ties with Hong Kong through the signing of a free trade agreement.










